"Her Daddy loved his motorcycle. He always wore protective gear. He wanted to make sure he was safe. He couldn't take any chances with a new baby girl on the way," Ms Stone wrote when sharing the beautiful image on Facebook.

"But he will never hold his baby girl. His life was taken just a month before she was born by someone he considered a friend.

"They say that angels are talking to babies when they smile in their sleep. I guess maybe that's true."

US man Hector Daniel Ferrer Alvarez, a keen motorcyclist, was shot in Florida in April. His daughter was born the following month.

Ms Williams was determined to include her late partner in baby Aubrey's newborn photoshoot. The session was booked by Aubrey's grandmother who informed Ms Stone about the death of the baby's father.

Advertisement

"The sweet mum was emotional. She wanted to use dad's motorcycle gear; something he loved. I wanted to do my best," Ms Stone told The Huffington Post.

"She started to smile as soon as I laid her in her dad's gloves. I didn't have time to set light or anything."

The photograph has been shared more than 69,000 times and attracted more than 13,000 comments since Ms Stone shared it on Facebook on June 11.

"I'm very sorry for your loss! She's absolutely beautiful and surely has her daddy looking down on her!" one person wrote.

"The dad held the baby. I know some people might not believe that but I do. He was right in the delivery room with mum and baby. Still very sad," said another.

Ms Williams told Ms Stone she would one day show her baby daughter the messages of support people have sent from all around the world.

"I will screenshot the page in a few weeks and I'll print it off for my daughter to show her the world prayed and wept for her and mummy and daddy," Williams wrote.

"Daddy made an impact even after he was gone and that would be his dream."

A 30-year-old man has been charged over the April shooting of Mr Alvarez and is in jail awaiting his next court appearance.